CHAPTER 1 “The Corvette”


I woke up to the luminescent light of the sun, for the first time in over a month. I jumped out of bed and dashed to my window; I starred at blue unclouded sky, then, a streak of crimson caught my eye. My bottom lip dropped as a gazed at the sight before my eyes, a red corvette coasting down my road. Seeing a car like that in my small town of Terrence Hill was like seeing a poor man living in a palace.
Knock. Knock.

“Rose?” My mom’s voice called from the door. “Rose, are you awake?”

“Yes,” I answered regaining composure; the unexpected knocking had startled me. “Did you need something?”

“Just to tell you that breakfast is ready.” She replied warmly.

“Kay, I’ll be down in a minute.” I assured her, already pulling off my pajamas and putting on my sunny clothes. Usually it rained in Terrence Hill, except for the rare sunny days.

“Morning Rosalie,” mom greeted me with her huge smile. Mom always seemed to have a type of warmth radiating from her, but when she smiled that warmth was amplified. Everyone thought it amazing that mom retained that warmth when dad died. I knew that she was just putting on a show for everyone, because I heard her crying herself to sleep every night for two years. Her short mahogany hair had started the gradual change to gray.

“Ugh, mom you know how much I hate it when you call me Rosalie.” I complained.

“But your name is so pretty.” She protested.

“I don’t care I want you to call me Rose.”

“Fine, Morning Rose,” this time she didn’t smile. Mom placed a plate full of sausage, pancakes, and eggs in front of me.

“Mmm, smells great mom.” I complimented happily after getting my way.

“Oh!” Mom cried in nostalgia. “Jennifer called; I told her you were still asleep.

“What did she want?” I questioned while cramming a piece of sausage into my mouth.

“I don’t know, she didn’t say. I told that I would send you over when you got up.” Mom answered ignoring my eating habits.

When I finished eating, I started to leave the house when I remembered the corvette.” Mom?” I called, not sure where she was.

“Hmm…”her soft voice answered from the laundry room.

“Do you know of anyone in town who drives a red corvette?”

“No, sorry I have no clue who could own a corvette.”

“Okay, I’m going to Jen’s,” I called.

“Just, be careful crossing that road. The Thompson boy nearly got hit the other day.”

“I’ll be careful. I promise.”

When I reached Jen’s house on the other side of the street, she was on her way to the back of her house. I stood there for a second taking in her attire, she was wearing a yellow polka dot bikini (Jen always loved that song).

“Hey Rose, come swimming with me.” Jen demanded with a smile in her butterscotch eyes. Jen was the only person in the whole town that owned a swimming pool. Everyone else thought it was just a waste of money.

“Sorry Jen,” I tried to sound truly sorry. She saw through my visage. “I uh… I don’t have a bikini.” I quickly made-up, maybe she would drop-it.

“That’s okay,” she smiled.

Whew! I thought.

“You can borrow one of mine.”

Crap! I murmured. “Thanks Jen, but I’m bigger than you.”

“No you’re not Rose. Now there is no way that I’m letting you squirm out of swimming with me this time. I let you off the hook last time, but you aren’t getting lucky this time.

“Fine!” I sighed in defeat. “Where is this bikini that I’m supposed to squeeze into?”

“Come on,” Jen giggled, leading me into the house, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. She dug through a drawer producing an aquamarine bikini. She handed it to me and extended her finger to point to the bathroom.

Hanging my head in defeat, I slouched off in the direction of the bathroom. I threw on the bathing suit and remembered why I had come to Jen’s house in the first place. I needed to ask her before I forgot again.

“There you are,” Jen stated when I returned to her room. “I was starting to think that you weren’t coming back.” She laughed.

“Jen, I have something to ask you.” I said trying to stay on topic.

“Okay, ask whatever you want,” she grinned. “If you can catch me!” she called running out the door and down the stairs.

“Jen, you’re such a cheater!” I yelled, chasing her. When I made it outside she had already jumped in to the pool. So I ran to the diving board, jumped, and in midair I grabbed my legs held them to my chest I screamed “CANNON BALL!!!” Water flew everywhere.

“Rose,” Jen giggled, splashing me.

“Yes?” I answered, splashing her back.

“Didn’t you want to ask me something?” Jen remembered.

“Oh yeah,” I couldn’t believe that I let myself forget. “Um… Jen did you see a... uh… red corvette go by this morning?”

“A what?” Jen’s eyes were wide with shock. “Did you say corvette?”

“Um… yeah, I saw a red corvette go by my window this morning.” I explained. “I guess you didn’t see it.”

“Sorry, I didn’t see anything.” She answered skeptically. “Are you sure you weren’t still asleep?”

“No I know that I wasn’t still asleep.”

“Okay,” she simply replied. “I’m getting wrinkly, let’s go back inside.”

We each grabbed a towel and traipsed upstairs to her bedroom. After I had toweled off and put my clothes back on I remembered something else.

“Jen, did Bryan ever ask you to the dance?”

“Um… yeah, he did.”

She did seem very enthusiastic. “Jen what’s wrong?”

“I never told him yes or no.” She replied

“Why?” I asked.

“I don’t know… I just thought maybe if I waited, then Russ might ask me to the dance.”

“Jen, maybe you should go with Bryan.” I recommended as I walked to the window. I hadn’t told Jen that I heard Russ ask Brittany out.

“Why?” she asked. “Oh…” understanding crossed her face. “Who?”

“Brittany,” I answered softly.

“Thanks for telling me,” her voice cracked, and she sunk down into the bed. “I guess I should call Bryan.”

I turned back to look out the window. I couldn’t believe the sight before my eyes. It was the corvette! It was real! I wasn’t crazy!

“Jen, look at this. It’s the corvette that I was telling you about.”

Jen ran to the window, “HOLY COW! Rose I’ve never seen a corvette this close before.” The tone in her voice told me that she hadn’t believed that when I told her about seeing it. She was my best friend how could she not believe me?!

“Jen, why didn’t you believe me?! I’ve never given you a reason not to believe me!” I demanded.

“Because… you have… a very… overactive imagination,” Jen struggled to find the right words, hoping that her words would calm me.

Her efforts to calm my rage were in vain, I wanted to scream. Biting my tongue I decided to just drop the subject, it was getting late and I really didn’t want to wreck our friendship over a fight. “I’ve got to get home. I promised mom that I would be home before supper.” Jen sighed at my words, apparently relieved that I had not pressed the issue.

“Okay, seeya”